Lowe Profero will become part of the Lowe and Partners network, serving as its digital offering. Wayne Arnold, Profero’s co-founder, will become Lowe Profero’s global chief executive, reporting to Michael Wall, the chief executive of Lowe and Partners.

Profero, which specialises in digital advertising and media, has offices in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK and the US. Its clients include Unilever, Asos, Diageo and Western Union, some of which are shared with Lowe and Partners.

Wall said: "This is a major development for Lowe and Partners and builds on our recent momentum with the successful introduction of Lowe Campbell Ewald in the US and the opening of a new office in NY.

"In launching Lowe Profero, we are significantly enhancing our global digital capabilities – a critical step that will drive forward our strategy of building a contemporary and creatively differentiated network for our clients."

Arnold said: "We have invested a lot of time and thought into bringing this new network to fruition. We know each other well, we work together seamlessly and we both believe in and understand the benefits of a complementary and integrated advertising and digital offering.

"Digital sits at the core of all future advertising. That’s what Lowe Profero will deliver globally for our clients, giving us a highly relevant and distinctive position in the agency network market."